Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church

World Heritage Research

Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.

• Hverdagslivet i vikingetidens Vorbasse

  Vorbasse, an Early Viking Age village in Jutland, stands out for its exceptional preservation and the extensive excavation of its six farms in the 1970s and 80s. Unlike typical Danish villages, Vorbasse was a significant 'adelby' (noble town) with continuous settlement, housing the largest local ejerlav (cadastral district). Six wells associated with the village yielded rare, well-preserved wooden objects, including unique artefacts like troughs, baking peels, and hayforks, which have no parallels at other Viking Age sites in Denmark. Dendrochronological dating of these objects provides precise chronological context, offering unprecedented insights into daily life during this period. The study highlights the prevalence of wooden household items over pottery and soapstone, a trend also observed at Hedeby but more extensively documented here.

  Hvass, L., & Hvass, S. (2025). Hverdagslivet i vikingetidens Vorbasse. Kuml, 72(72). https://doi.org/10.7146/kuml.v72i72.153201

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• A lady of leadership: 3D-scanning of runestones in search of Queen Thyra and the Jelling Dynasty

  Research reveals that Queen Thyra, a figure traditionally linked to the Jelling Mounds and Harald Bluetooth's dynasty, was commemorated on more runestones than any other individual in Viking-Age Denmark. By employing 3D-scanning techniques to analyze rune carving styles, orthography, and language, the study identifies a consistent hand—Ravnunge-Tue—as the carver of both the Jelling 2 and Læborg stones. This finding suggests Thyra played a significant leadership role in the formation of the Danish state during the 10th century AD.

  Imer, L. M., Kitzler Åhfeldt, L., & Zedig, H. (2023). A lady of leadership: 3D-scanning of runestones in search of Queen Thyra and the Jelling Dynasty. Antiquity, 97(395), 1262–1278. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2023.108

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• Spatial aspects of the interpretation of cultural heritage

  Exhibitions on cultural heritage benefit from strategic spatial design that enhances educational quality through subconscious viewer engagement. Key factors include site context, authenticity, narrative-driven scenarios, and atmospheric 'warm-up' and 'cool-down' spaces. A comparative analysis of three exhibitions—Hardangervidda National Park (Norway), Kongernes Jelling visitor center (Denmark), and the Scottish National Museum’s Wester Kittochside site—revealed that powerful storytelling and spatial continuity improve interpretive outcomes. These findings guide professionals in crafting exhibition spaces that blend architectural form with informative content, aligning with broader trends toward immersive heritage presentation.

  Sedlacek, J., Matějka, D., Fialová, Z., & Klepárník, R. (2022). Spatial aspects of the interpretation of cultural heritage. Muzeológia a Kultúrne Dedičstvo, 10(4), 89–113. Internet Archive. https://doi.org/10.46284/mkd.2021.10.4.6

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• Sacred but not holy: Awe, spectacle, and the heritage gaze in Danish religious heritage contexts

  This study reveals that the heritagisation of religious sites, such as Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church in Denmark, transforms them from places of religious awe into spectacles for a secular audience. It demonstrates how these sites, when designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, shift from inspiring piety to evoking ontological pride or vicarious nostalgia among tourists and cultural experts. The research argues that this 'heritage gaze' inadvertently frames religion as cultural heritage through a secular lens, hybridizing religious experience with heritage values. The study employs an ideal-typical distinction between the 'holy' and the 'sacred' to analyze this phenomenon across three Danish World Heritage sites: Jelling, Roskilde, and Christiansfeld.

  Salemink, O., Rask Poulsen, R., & Isager Ahl, S. (2020). Sacred but not holy: Awe, spectacle, and the heritage gaze in Danish religious heritage contexts. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.4604148

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• UNESCO and World Heritage Management in Jelling – Opportunities and Challenges

  Recent excavations at Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church—a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994—revealed significant new structures that have transformed the understanding of this historic Danish site. Discoveries included a large palisade encircling the area, three Trelleborg-type houses, and the largest Viking Age ship setting in the Nordic region. These findings led to a boundary modification of the original inscription in 2018, highlighting their archaeological significance. The study also explores the challenges and opportunities of managing cultural heritage outside major urban centers, drawing on insights from a 2017 conference in Poland. Jelling's status as one of Denmark's most visited historical sites underscores its importance in both research and heritage preservation.

  Lindblom, C. (2018). UNESCO and World Heritage Management in Jelling – Opportunities and Challenges. Ana­Lecta Archa­Eolo­Gica Res­so­Viensia, 13, 243–256. https://doi.org/10.15584/anarres.2018.13.12

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• The hydrology and preservation condition in the flat-topped burial mound – Klangshøj at Vennebjerg in Vendsyssel

  A study of Klangshøj, a flat-topped burial mound similar to the Royal Jelling mounds, revealed that its hydrology mirrors that of Jelling, with a permeable bioturbation zone covering nearly impermeable sod layers. This creates a perched groundwater table that maintains anaerobic conditions, fostering excellent preservation of organic materials, including undecomposed plant remnants. Radiocarbon dating confirmed the mound's construction during the Viking Age. Contrary to local legends, no evidence was found for a spring at its base or a well on top, as the hydrological conditions would not support such features.

  Breuning-Madsen, H., Henriksen, P. S., Kristensen, J. Å., Jessen, M., & Ekman, R. (2016). The hydrology and preservation condition in the flat-topped burial mound – Klangshøj at Vennebjerg in Vendsyssel. Danish Journal of Archaeology, 5(1-2), 72–85. https://doi.org/10.1080/21662282.2016.1256099

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• V iking stranger‐kings: the foreign as a source of power in V iking A ge S candinavia, or, why there was a peacock in the G okstad ship burial?

  Research reveals that the concept of the 'stranger-king' played a pivotal role in Viking Age Scandinavia, serving as both a political strategy and a source of power for early Scandinavian rulers. Analyzing the Jelling Mounds complex in Denmark, the study demonstrates how this site materializes the myth of an immigrant forefather founding the dynasty, with ship settings and burial mounds symbolizing the foreign king's control over local land. The 'stranger-king' archetype is identified as a central element of Old Norse mythology, closely tied to sacral rulership and the embrace of the exotic to project authority beyond human control. This finding underscores the significance of the foreign in the formation of early Scandinavian states.

  Dobat, A. S. (2015). Viking stranger‐kings: the foreign as a source of power in Viking Age Scandinavia, or, why there was a peacock in the Gokstad ship burial? Early Medieval Europe, 23(2), 161–201. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/emed.12096

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